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I recently acquired a Pocono Mountain Lines Auto reverse unit or a push-pull some call it and I'm having a terrible time getting it to work for me. I've googled every which way I can imagine and watched every YouTube video I can find. The closest I came to assistance was on this forum in a post a few years ago. The module is wired to the power supply and the track is wired to the module. The instructions indicate dead, reverse and trigger zones,  with wiring from the track to the module in each area that controls the reversal and delay. From what I can see and understand, I've wired it according to the instructions with one exception. I was told that I would have to have a power blocking diode bridging the gap at each of the dead zones to allow the train to pass the dead and reverse and the instructions say nothing about that.  The Pocono Mountain Lines no longer exists so that's no help and now I'm down to begging. Does anyone have any information that could help me with this? I can post scans of the instructions and show what I've done if there is someone out there that understands this and can help me out. I'm not an electrical wizard, and I don't really want to be. I just want my trolley to auto reverse. Help???  

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First off, I am not running 3-rails. I have HO and joined this O group because this was the only place I found that people seemed to understand the module on the posts I saw. My trolley works fine on the regular layout track, forward and reverse. I have the four places the instructions say to isolate joined with plastic insulated joiners. I've only isolated these places on the inside rail, not the common rail and I've done all the work at joints, have not cut any rail. So from left to right on the inside rail I have a plastic joiner, then just before the first gap I've attached a wire going to terminal 7 on the module, then another isolator joiner with a diode bridging  the gap, then it comes to the reverse end and I have an isolated join bridged by a diode (both diode bands facing the same direction, and I've tried it in both directions),  another wire up to terminal #7 just after the gap and lastly another isolator joiner. I have power wires from the transformer connected to terminal #1&2 and I have a wire from the jumper on terminal 11-12 that goes to the common rail at the very right end of the track, after all the work is done. When I turn the power on, I hear the module clicking so I know it has power, but nothing happens at the train

The isolated joiners at the very beginning and the very end bother me, but that's the way I read the instructions. That being said, I did try it without the unbridged isolators at the beginning and the end.  Any ideas?

 

Last edited by Cathy C

Be curious what thos two large rectifier blocks are used for in circuit.  Appears that Marty is right that its AC, though without seeing baord and tracing circuit, it might be possible to run on DC (note I said MIGHT be possible as it looks like the 13-20 VAC is rectified and stepped down to 5, 8 or 12VDC to run the timer, optoisolator and relay and most likely not interconnected at all with the AC train wiring)

My guess is when trolley touches Trigger the optoisolator turns on triggering the timer that makes relay open the REVERSE track circuit.  After timeout, relay closes restoring track power to REVERSE section.  Not sure how they hold off timer from re triggering when wheels touch TRIGGER section again as it leaves section.

I'm not sure that the module that you've got there is intended for HO operation. I think it mentions AC and requires E-unit reversing solenoids.

HO runs on DC and reversing is accomplished by changing the polarity of the power on the track. There are no E-units.

This could explain why you've had such a hard time finding anything about it other than on the O gauge forums.

Well shoot, guys. Everything you've all said makes perfect sense. Which means I have an auto-reverse module for sale if anyone is interested. Rats rats rats. This is my first ever layout. I'm 70 years old and just started in December and the learning curve is HUGE! Thanks for all the input, guess I'll have to spring for one of the more expensive units from Bachmann or Walthers. 

Cathy C posted:

Well shoot, guys. Everything you've all said makes perfect sense. Which means I have an auto-reverse module for sale if anyone is interested. Rats rats rats. This is my first ever layout. I'm 70 years old and just started in December and the learning curve is HUGE! Thanks for all the input, guess I'll have to spring for one of the more expensive units from Bachmann or Walthers. 

Well, I see that you didn't recognize that the difference. There are two other sources, Dallee Electronics  -Automatic back and forth and Azatrax - continuous back and forth - that have systems that will work with DC. it's actually easier working with 2-rail DC for detection and control.

I don't know if you discovered that there is  HONGZ forum here, which for is for HO, N, G and Z scales. Many hobgyists run multiple scales. You can get some suggestions there.

(clickety-click on the blue links)

Put your item in as a listing in the FOR SALE forum here.

Good luck!

PS.  as you can see, folks will try to help with anything model train here

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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